We salute the local with a collection of recipes that celebrate its flavor and diversity
Photo by Grant L. Gursky
Corn and Crab Jalapeño Bisque
Recipe by Chef Theo Lipkins, Off The Hook
Ingredients
1 cup tomato, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup soy beans, frozen
1 cup sweet corn, frozen
2 tsp olive oil
2 bay leaves, fresh
½ tsp fennel seed
¼ tsp turmeric powder
2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
4 cups vegetable broth
1 lb Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat
10 Maryland crab claws (optional)
Directions
Dry-roast fennel seed in a medium- sized pot for a few minutes on medium heat until aromatic. Add oil and heat, followed by adding carrot, onion, tomato and bay leaves. Sauté for 3-5 mins on medium heat until vegetables start to soften.
Add turmeric and Old Bay and stir to coat vegetables, followed by vegetable broth. Cover pot with lid and bring to a heavy simmer and allow to cook for 8-10 mins. Add corn, soybeans and crab claws (if using) and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until crab claws turn an orange-red color.
Turn off heat and stir in jumbo lump-crab-meat, discard bay leaves and enjoy.
Photo by HealthyFitnessMeals.com
Summer Tomatoes, Corn, Crab and Avocado Salad
Recipe by Mark and Karen O’Neal, Bay Shore Steam Pot
Ingredients
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
2 limes, juiced
1 tsp olive oil
12 oz lump crabmeat
1 avocado, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped with seeds removed
11/2 cups roasted corn kernels
2 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
In a small bowl, combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes, to mellow the flavor of the onion. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine lump crabmeat, avocado, grape tomatoes, jalapeños and roasted corn kernels. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust lime juice, salt and pepper to your taste.
Photo by Pamela Aquilani
Crab BLT Tacos
Recipe by Rick Vach, Longboard Cafe
Ingredients (makes 4-6 tacos)
1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat
6-inch soft flour or corn tortillas (4 to 6 total)
½ lb applewood smoked bacon, cooked and chopped coarsely
6 oz romaine or iceberg lettuce, chiffonade cut
2 to 3 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
6-8 oz orange-saffron aioli (recipe follows)
1 tsp butter or canola oil
Pinch salt & pepper or Old Bay (just a pinch — both are optional)
Orange-Saffron Aioli Ingredients
1 tsp crumbled saffron threads*, steeped for 15 minutes in 2 Tbsp. hot water
3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup blood orange syrup*
1 tsp each salt, black pepper and fresh lime juice
2 cups mayonnaise
Directions
Put garlic, blood orange syrup, lime juice and salt and pepper in
a food processor and purée. Add to mayo and whisk until combined. Add steeped saffron water and whisk.
Taco Directions
Warm tortillas on griddle or nonstick frying pan. Heat butter or oil in a separate pan, then add crabmeat to warm, tossing gently. Add seasoning to crabmeat, if desired. Layer ingredients proportionately in tortillas — lettuce first, then tomatoes, bacon and crabmeat in succession. Drizzle orange-saffron aioli on top and serve. (*Available at Amazon.com.)
Jumbo Crab Cake with Roasted Corn Puree & Baby Arugula Oil
Recipe by Chefs Andrew Feeley and Doug Ruley, SoDel Concepts
Crab Cake Ingredients
½ lb fresh crab claw meat
½ lb fresh colossal crabmeat
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh, ground bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 pinch Old Bay
1 oz vegetable oil
Creamed Corn Ingredients
3 ears fresh, local corn, shaved off the cob
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup Vidalia onion, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 pinch curry powder
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 oz vegetable oil
Pinch of black pepper, cracked
Pinch of sea salt
Arugula Oil
1 cup pack arugula
½ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
Preparation: Crab Cakes
Mix all crab cake ingredients in a large bowl, except for oil and colossal meat. Gently fold colossal meat into crab mix. Form into 3 oz. cakes.
In a cast iron skillet, heat oil to medium. Sear cakes for 3-4 minutes, then flip and sear for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown and heated all the way through.
Preparation: Arugula Oil
In a blender, add arugula, honey and oil and blend until mixed well.
Preparation: Corn
Heat pan with oil over medium heat and cook onion and garlic for 1 minute, then add corn and cook while stirring for another 2 minutes. Next, add heavy cream. Let reduce for 4 minutes, stirring. Add curry and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
Presentation:
On a platter, spoon the creamed corn in the center. Top with golden crab cakes. Next, top the cakes with a handful of arugula. Drizzle generously with arugula oil.
Photo by Grant L. Gursky
Soft-Shell Crabs Over Summer Salad
Recipe by Chef Carlos Rubio, Catch 54
Ingredients
2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes
2 ears of corn, grilled
1 small shallot, shaved
¼ cup English cucumber, shaved
Thyme, parsley and basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown sugar vinaigrette
¼ cup EVOO
¼ cup apple cider
¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
Whisk together EVOO, apple cider and brown sugar and set aside. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl and coat with prepared vinaigrette. The soft-shell crab is lightly breaded (dipped in flour and well-seasoned with salt, pepper and SoDel Bay Spice) and flash-fried in a deep fryer at 350°F. To plate, add tomato mixture to the center of the plate and top with soft shell crab. CS